Picture: Sassa.co.za
A business woman who defrauded the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has been ordered to pay back the money.
The Pretoria North Regional Court granted the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) a confiscation order against 67-year-old Sarathamoney Devi Sigamoney after she was convicted on charges of perjury, fraud and theft two weeks ago.
Sigamoney defrauded the Sassa pension payouts while being the sole director of a company that was awarded tenders worth approximately R88 million from the South African Police Service (SAPS), to supply office furniture between 2017 and 2022.
Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the court ordered that Sigamoney pay back the money.
“The order stipulates that an amount of R138 593.00, together with interest at a prescribed rate of 11.25% per annum, calculated from the date of this order to the date of payment, be paid back to Sassa,” said Mamothame
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He said Sigamoney was also ordered to provide proof of payment to the state.
“This is the NPA’s strategy to use the forfeiture powers of the AFU to take away the proceeds of crime back to the state, to ensure that crime does not pay.”
After her conviction on the case, sentencing was set for 14 January next year.
In a separate matter, the Hawks arrested fourteen suspects, including a former Nedbank employee on allegations of fraud and money laundering valued at more than R150 million this week.
The suspects aged between 25 and 47 years were arrested on Tuesday morning in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Krugersdorp by the Gauteng Serious Commercial Crime Investigation of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said investigations are continuing.
“It is reported that the main suspect unlawfully made payments from suspense accounts valued at over R157 million which were further transferred to recipients who were not entitled to receive such monies.”
The accused appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court at Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where 13 were granted bail
The 14th accused’s bail application will be heard on the 7 November in the same court – He was remanded in custody.
Twenty-three recipients are involved in the matter including fifteen individuals, seven entities and six banks.
They are scheduled for their next court appearance in January next year when the court will also address the inclusion of an outstanding suspect and potential disclosures related to the case.
ALSO READ: Multiple executives, business directors in court for R157m bank fraud
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